Patient Safety & Quality of Care

The American Urological Association’s (AUA’s) Quality Department is responding to the increasing emphasis by both the federal government and private insurers on the use of quality performance measurement for reimbursement. For a relatively small specialty, the AUA has emerged as a leading player in this arena. The AUA has physician and professional staff representatives on every major national decision-making body and has been instrumental in the formulation of urologic-specific measures. Prostate cancer measures are included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). Measures on stress urinary incontinence have been developed in collaboration with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Additionally, the AUA collaborates with other organizations and specialty societies to develop cross-cutting measures of interest to urologists and other health care providers.

A team of dedicated physician volunteers make up the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QIPS) Committee. Along with Quality Department staff, QIPS members are responsible for establishing the AUA's quality and patient safety agenda and determining new initiatives.